Racist Police Dog Strikes Again

[Indigo]

I read these news reports and found it kind of odd.Do you think it's possible that some dogs are racist?

Police dog again accused of racial profiling

Associated Press

MCKEES ROCKS, Pa. - A police dog cleared two years ago of racial profiling has been accused of biting a black teenager during a demonstration at a middle school.

A McKees Rocks councilwoman and the girl's parents said a K-9 officer had to pry the dog's jaws apart to free 14-year-old Angela Kirkland on Thursday. It was the second time in 19 months the dog has been accused of attacking a black child.

In 2002, town officials ordered a two-month investigation to determine if Dolpho, a German shepherd, was singling out blacks while on patrol.

In the previous incident, Dolpho escaped from a police vehicle when a quick-release button on the belt of K-9 officer Shawn Barger was depressed as he wrestled with a drug suspect. The dog bolted from the K-9 wagon when the door opened and bit a 9-year-old boy who was playing nearby.

Barger was also handling the dog Thursday at Sto-Rox Middle School.

McKeesport police would not comment on the most recent allegations.

Councilwoman Wanda Jones Dixon once again asked that Dolpho be retired. She wants the dog euthanized or locked away, though she said race is not the issue this time.

"I'm an animal lover and I feel very bad for the dog," Dixon said. "But you can't keep a dog out there that's attacking children. For me, color doesn't matter. He hurt a child."

The girl's parents, however, say Dolpho only attacks black people.

"I blame the training," said Bobby Kirkland. "I still say that that dog ... is a racist dog."

The dog allowed a white girl to pet it, but attacked when his daughter got close, Kirkland said.

Kirkland said the dog tore his daughter's pants and shirt. The dog's teeth did not break the skin, but did leave marks, Kirkland said.

Mark Livingston, the father of the boy attacked two years ago, said he wasn't surprised about the alleged attack.

"That police dog has struck again," he said.



Dolpho the racist police dog is back in the news, reports The Associated Press.


The dog, a K-9 officer in McKees Rock, Pa., has again been accused of racial profiling after biting a black child at a middle school demonstration. The bite tore the child’s clothing but did not break the skin.

The allegations of racism against Dolpho first surfaced two years ago after he bit a 9-year-old boy while on patrol. He was cleared following a two-month investigation, but some local residents say this latest attack only renews their fear. They want him retired or put down.


Links to News Reports Fox News (http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,110799,00.html) Channel 4 Pittsburgh (http://www.thepittsburghchannel.com/news/2157991/detail.html)

[Machina123]

noo dogs are color blind even they they prob see things liekl black peple darker then white people. Next thing you know my hampster will be a racial profiler and sex offender.....

[PyRo]

If I shot into a crowed and killed a 'normal' white guy noone cares, its another murder, but if I happend to hit an african american, a gay person, etc it will be all over the news.
I don't think a dog can really be racist, but I did have a dog when I was younger that didn't like the mailman very much, and would flip out if you took her to a male vet, but was fine with a female one.

[barberjohn]

hahahahahaha, thats soo funny. i wonder if it is an acual report or just a spoof. i cant believe someone would actually write about that, a colorblind animal being racist. well, i do suppose its possible, maybe all the guys at the pd are training it that way...:rolleyes: .

[PyRo]

Watch a black and white movie, thats probably pretty close to how a dog sees, they can tell.

[dansim]

colorblind? i belive the animal can differentiate between black and white people if not it would probally run into walls and the squad car, as it would be completely retarded, racist or not the dog should be put down if it cant be controled and it cant be as its already shown

[p8ntball1016]

must be a slow news day

[Zygote]

It's pretty idiotic to apply a human concept like racism to an animal. Whatever prejudices the dog may have, its most likely picking them up from the owner.

[MayAMonkeyBeYourPinata]

Originally posted by Zygote
It's pretty idiotic to apply a human concept like racism to an animal. Whatever prejudices the dog may have, its most likely picking them up from the owner.

You are exactly right, so if the dog is "rascist" it complete reflects the trainer, or owners idealogies. But it really is not hard to believe a dog could be trained to be "rascist".

[shartley]

Yes, dogs can tell black from white.

As for being racist and being trained to be…. bah. Dogs are trained, yes, but they are also being trained when they work in the field. If a dog gets exposure to a certain thing over and over and over, and his reaction to that thing is rewarded…. YOU do the math.

But I also think that dogs should NOT be used in all the times they are. And if a dog is KNOWN to be a bit on the uncontrollable side, it should not be used at all. This case seems to be a combination of the two. However, I think the “racist” crap is being tossed in for headlines.

[taylor492]

Originally posted by MayAMonkeyBeYourPinata


But it really is not hard to believe a dog could be trained to be "rascist".

That is the single most retarded thing ive ever heard. To think a dog can differentiate race, or even know what race, or even racism is is ridiculous. Could a dog be trained to attack certain people based on the color of their skin? Sure, just like they can be trained to sniff for drugs or bombs, but like whats-his-name said earlier you can't use human characteristics to describe a dog.

[Crighton]

I do alot of work with german shepherds and I can guarantee if it had really gone after the kid it would have broken the skin. Shepherds have pointed teeth almost all the way to the back. Get your hand or arm in there and they decide to clamp down and your going to have a whole set of nice puncture marks.


If it's that big of a deal retire the dog and let it live out its life.

[AssassN]

I used to have a dog that barked and growled at blacks, and hispanics. We had to put him to sleep because he had a brain problem but he was most certainly racist. If you had a row of 10 people and 1 was black I would bet money that he would go and bark at the black man.

[impostal22]

That is the single most retarded thing ive ever heard. To think a dog can differentiate race, or even know what race, or even racism is is ridiculous. Could a dog be trained to attack certain people based on the color of their skin? Sure, just like they can be trained to sniff for drugs or bombs, but like whats-his-name said earlier you can't use human characteristics to describe a dog.

dogs most obviously cannot be racist, because it's a human trait. they can definitely, however, be trained to attack blacks and not whites. if a dog attacks black people it isn't be cause it dislikes black people, but because he was trained to do so. so in a sense, the dog represents its owner's racism.

eh..i just noticed i kinda restated what you said. oh well:D

[land hurricane]

I've seen a dog just like assassn had. It was one of my friend's dogs, anytime my friend had a black friend over he would bark and growl. But when my friend had a white friend over he would just wag its tail and let the person pet him.

I'm not saying the dog was racist, but he could deffaintly tell the difference between a dark skinned person and a light skinned person.

[MayAMonkeyBeYourPinata]

Originally posted by taylor492


That is the single most retarded thing ive ever heard. To think a dog can differentiate race, or even know what race, or even racism is is ridiculous. Could a dog be trained to attack certain people based on the color of their skin? Sure, just like they can be trained to sniff for drugs or bombs, but like whats-his-name said earlier you can't use human characteristics to describe a dog.

umm i agreed with you, thus the use of quotation marks.